Spigot for wine casks and the like



J. R. RICKETTS 2,203,968

SPIGOT FOR WINE CASKS AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 28, 1936 1NVE N 0R.

2 Z] v ATTORNEY.

n Patented June 11, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE p This invention relates to and has for an object the provision of an improved typeof spigot for wine casks, kegs and the like adapted to be apart from orin connection with an air inlet device atn tachedto the cask or keg by means of which the partial vacuum in the cask is relieved uponthe operation of the spigot so that the liquid will flow more readily than otherwise, the operation of i the air supply device being preferably accome plished automatically withwthe opening of the H spigot.

An important feature ofthis invention consists of the provision on the spout of the spigot of an auxiliary closure for the spout which requires manual operation subsequent to, the turning ofthe spout to open position and which serves to close the outlet to the spout and thereby prevent the entrance of obnoxious insects into the spout passage. Thus, a sanitary spigot is provided which insures an insect free and uncontaminated issue of liquid from the spigot.

Another object is the provision of means on,

the body of the spigotlwhich is usually made of wood) whereby a suitable implement may be applied to the spigot for driving the same into the tap hole of the cask without splitting. Ormarring the body of the spigot. Still other objects may appear as the description progresses. n I have shown a preierredformof device embodying my invention in theaccompanying drawing, subject to modification, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spiritthereof, in whichr i i n Fig. 1 is an end elevation of a cask with my thereto and operatively connected;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the spigot and air supply means on line 2-2. of Fig. 1;

n Fig. 3 is a section of thespigoton line 3-3of 2; 1

Fig. 4 is a view of the same,.part1y in section, as seen on lineA-G of Fig. 2; and v y l Fig. 5 is a section of the spigot and an imple r ment for attaching the same to a cask, onaline 55ofFig.2. a m n The spigot S isnot materiallyunlike the conventional spigot in external appearance and includes a body I with an annular channel 2 in the stem 3 at the rear of said body and adapted to be extended into a bung hole 4 in the end 5 of 5 .nel 2 so that the bifurcated end I of a suitable improved spigot and air supply device attached rear portion thereof and a tapered extension or implement 8 maybe positioned in the channel 2, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, so that when the outer end 9 of the implement is struck forcibly with a hammer the blowis received by the annular shoulder in adjacent the stem 3 and damage to the body I of the spigot is prevented.

The body lhas the usualtapered bore ll therein which is vertically disposed and has its smallest extremity at the bottom.. Instead of depending upon the usual means for packing the bore llI provide an annular. split leather bushing l2 with its ends sufiiciently separated as to receive akey l3 therebetween, said key being seated in a kerf in the body i atthe periphery of the bore II and serving to prevent the turning of the 15 bushing when the spout is turned.

A spout it, preferablyof cast metal, is provided for regulating the dispensing of theliquid H from the cask 6 and has a tapered stem l5 with a handle. l6 thereon and an axial extension ll above said handle. The stem ES frictionally en- 20 gages the interior of the bushing 82 and has an outlet passage l8 with a valve seat I9 at the bottom anda peripheral port 20 which opens communication between the passage 18 and a horizontal passage 2| in the spigot body when the spout is turned to a given extent.

The upper portion ofspout i4 is provided with a central bore 22 open at the upperend of the spout and a smaller bore 23 between thebores I8 and 22 for slidablyreceivinga valve stem 24. 3 Thenbottom of bore 22 ispacked by means of a suitable disc 25 and a spring 26 is compressible between said disc 25; and a collar or flange 27 on the stem. The lower end of stem 24 carries a seat l9 and thereby close the passage 1 8 in the spout against the flow of liquid therefrom. Preferably closure 28 has a conical bottom portion which will prevent the accumulation of liquid on the closure and serves to insure against the retention of any liquid after a dispensing operation.

The upper portion of bore 22 is closed by means of a depressible member having a hub. 29 seated in the bore and a flange 30 above the end of extension ll, as shown in Fig. 2. Flange 30 has a concentric enlarged portion 3! and a concentric smaller portion 32 whereby when the valve 28 in the spout is depressed to open position the flange 30 may be rotated so as to engage andbe held downward by an upwardly extended stop mem- 5 her 33 formed on or attached to the extension H. The air supply means A for the cask 6 consists of an L shaped fitting having a stem 34 threaded into the end 5 of the cask, an elongated body 35 and a depending end 36. The body of the fitting has a passage 3'1 which opens at its inner end to the interior of the cask and at its outer end into a chamber 38 which is closed by means of a detachable cap 39. The chamber 38 has therein a valve 48 which seats in the end ofpassage 3i and has a stem ll which projects through the cap 35 and is adapted to be connected with the member 29 of the spigot spout by means of a wire or cable 82 and a tension spring 43, the end of said spring being attached to a hook M on fitting so that it may be readily detached as and for the purposehereinafter described.

Stem M of valve 40 has a flange 45 which is spaced from said valve and a compression spring 46 is held between said flange and the cap 39 for urging the valve 40 into closed position. Necessarily the tension of spring 43 is less than that of spring 16. An air inlet 4'! is provided above flange 45 for the purpose .of admitting air to passage 3'l when valve 40 is sufficiently depressed for opening the valve 28.

The operation of the device is as follows: The spigot is applied to the end of the caskin the usual manner except that instead of driving the spigot into position by hammering the outer end thereof the implement ,8 is applied to the spigot as shown in Fig. 5 with the bifurcated ends 7 seated in opposite portions of the annular channel 2 and against the shoulder 10 so that when the end 9' of the implement is struck with the hammer the impact will be absorbed by the shoulder I0 and no damage will result to the spigot body. r

The spout 8 41s shown in Fig. 2 in closed position and is rotated in the body I to an extent of 180 degrees for positioning the port 2|] in regise tration with the passage 2| so that the liquid may readily flow from the cask through passage 2! into the outlet passage I8. In this position, however, the liquid will not be dispensed as the closure l8 will prevent the flow of liquid from the spout and it is necessary to depress the member'29, stem 23 and closure 28 against the tension of spring 26 before a dispensing operation may ensue. When member 29 and associated parts are depressed the member 29 is rotated sufficiently to lock the flange 20 under the portion 33 of the spout, and the liquid will flow from the spout as long as the spout is-held in open 2Tintothe cask for the purpose of relieving the vacuum in the cask to a point at which the liquid will flow freely from the spout. The connection, however, between the spout and the air inlet means is detachable at the hook 44 for the purpose ofreleasing the. valve from the spout prior to the completion of a dispensing operation, inasmuch as it has been found advantageous to stop the admission of air before the complete elimination of vacuum in the cask.

The provision of spring 43 permits of greater flexibility of operation and the connections between the air inlet means and the spout, takes uplost motion in the connections and renders accurate connections unnecessary. The tension of spring 46 is but slight and is only sufficient to restore the valve 40 to closed position, and, if pressure should develop in the cask the tension of said spring would be overcome thereby and permit the venting of excess pressure to, the atmosphere through the inlet 41.

The implement 8 is also desirable and very effective for removing the spigot from a cask. In such case the bifurcated ends I are seated in the channel 2 of the body and the end 9 is struck with a hammer against the shoulder of the channel opposite that shoulder designated as ion the drawing. It should be noted that due to the substantially cylindrical body of the closure 28 and the fact that said body engages the seat I9 at a point spaced inwardly from the lower end of the spout, the discharge stream issuing from the spout when the closure 28 is lowered from said seat, will not spray laterally but will form a substantially cylindrical jet which will facilitate the filling of small receptacles from the spout without waste.

Other advantages of the improvements shown and described herein will be readily apparent to those familiar with the use and operation of spigots as described.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A spigotfor casks and the like comprising:

a body having a longitudinal passage therein and a relatively right angular bore, a frictional bushing therein formed with a longitudinal. slit, means fixed in the body and extending into said bore and said slit for preventing the rotation of said bushing, a spout rotatable in said bushing and having an outlet for selective registration with said passage, and a manually operable valve carried on the end of said spout for normally closing said outlet and operable for opening the outlet at will.

- 2. A spigot for casks and the like comprising: a body having a longitudinal passage therein and a relatively right angular bore, a frictional bushing therein formed with a longitudinal slit, means fixed in the body and extending into said bore and said slit for preventing the rotation of said bushing, a spout rotatable in said bushing and having an outlet for selective registration with said passage, a manually operable valve.

carriedon the end of said spout for normally closing said outlet and operable for. opening the outlet at will, and means for locking said valve in opened position.

3. A spigot for casks comprising: a body having a passage therein and one end adapted to be inserted into. the opening of a cask, a driver affixed to said body and including. a member projecting from an end of the body and a bifurcated portion embracing said body, cooperating shoulders between said member and body and spout means carried by said body.

JAMES R.- RICKETTS. 

